


I'll be Home for Christmas

by lydia_rogue



Category: RWBY
Genre: Bumbleby and Yatsu/Velvet mentioned, Earth AU, F/M, wintertime fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-09 18:39:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8907592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydia_rogue/pseuds/lydia_rogue
Summary: Ren isn't looking forward to spending Christmas alone. Thankfully, his favorite customer is here to help.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GiantdadHasLanded](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GiantdadHasLanded/gifts).



Ren probably shouldn't have favorite customers he liked to slip extra sweets to, but he owned the coffee shop, so there was nothing to stop him.

His favorites - in order - were:

The blonde with a prosthetic arm who came in once a week with her girlfriend and three times a week with her little sister. With her girlfriend she stayed for tea and scones, with her sister she grabbed coffee to go for both of them. She was always polite, if loud, and always had a bad pun to share with him.

The Muslim woman who had come in for her first date with her boyfriend almost a year ago. They came in at least once a week now and often had people staring - the foot and a half height difference definitely turned heads. They liked herbal tea and hot chocolate and would share a slice of carrot cake in the far corner of the shop - they'd become a Wednesday night fixture for the place.

Jaune and Pyrrha hardly counted as customers at this point - he figured since he was now roommates with them they didn't really count - but they were definitely among his favorites. 

Of course, his absolute favorite customer was also his most unpredictable. A tiny red-head with far more energy than any one person had a right to would come in sometimes to sit and chat and sometimes she'd buzz through barely long enough to grab her to-go cup before dashing out again. He'd managed to catch her name once - Nora Valkyrie-like-the-mythical-being - when she came in during a busy time and he was actually putting names on to-go orders.

Often times she would zip in and out in under five minutes, barely long enough to say hello, rattle off her order and then disappear again. Sometimes she'd come in every day for a week, then disappear for a month before coming back and spending half the day ordering various pastries and over-caffeinated drinks, chattering with Ren about her job as an electrical engineer.

Over the course of the past year, they'd become friends, with Nora trying to stay for a while and talk with Ren more days than not.

Today, though, she didn't have time to chat. Nora zipped in and out of the coffee shop, staying just long enough to say "Merry Christmas!" before dashing out into the cold winter air.

Ren sighed, hoping tomorrow would be a day she stayed for at least a bit. He was still trying to build up the courage to ask her out on a date and he kept telling himself he'd do it the next time she came in.

"Is everything all right, Ren?" 

He smiled at Pyrrha, trying to offer reassurance. "It's nothing. Was there something you needed?" he asked. Ever since they started living together it was rare that she stopped by the shop just to chat.

"Well…" She rubbed the back of her neck. "Jaune's family invited us out for Christmas." Her smile was a little crooked. "As did my family - kind of a meet the family thing…"

He understood her awkwardness - the three of them had celebrated Christmas together the last several years. Jaune and Pyrrha had moved across country from their families and so hadn't been able to afford to go home in the years prior and Ren didn't have a family to go home to.

But now Pyrrha and Jaune were dating, and she'd suddenly been thrust into the spotlight with her recent gold medal wins at the Summer Olympics and so there was nothing keeping them here. 

Ren smiled, trying to hide his disappointment. They'd missed going out to see their families these past few years and he didn't want to make them feel bad about going now. "It sounds like fun. I've heard all sorts of things about Jaune's sisters, you'll have to tell me if it's true when you get back." 

Given Pyrrha's bright smile in response, he seemed to have hid his feelings well. "We'll stay in touch, don't worry!" she said, unease fading away. "I've got to go tell Jaune so we can finalize our plans." She darted around the counter to give him a brief hug. "See you tonight!"

Ren's smile lasted only as long as it took for Pyrrha to leave. He'd expected them to go visit family this year for the holidays, but it didn't mean it was any less painful to hear. 

Wrapped up in his sulk, he didn't hear the door chime or notice anyone had come in until Nora Valkyrie-like-the-mythical-being was about two inches from his face. "What's wrong?" she asked, making him jump.

"Nothing!" he said, managing a small smile. "Is there something I can get for you?" Seeing Nora always brought a smile to his face - it was one of the reasons she was his favorite customer.

She slid into her normal seat at the counter. "You can tell me what's eating at you."

"It's really nothing," he said, starting to make her favorite drink - a large mocha with extra whipped cream - to try and distract her. "Just got confirmation my friends are going to be visiting their families for Christmas." He sighed. "I'm not sure what I'll be doing now."

"Oh." Nora sat back, eyes downcast. She became quieter than Ren had ever heard her - even when she zipped in and out she was always talking a mile a minute, unless she was listening to him - then he had her full attention.

He added a generous portion of chocolate shavings to her drink and set it down in front of her, but even that barely elicited a smile. "Nora?"

She shrugged and took the sugary concoction. "Thanks."

He tried not to hover as she half-heartedly sipped at her drink, lacking her usual boisterous energy. When she left about ten minutes later without saying goodbye, his heart sank. He had no idea what had gone wrong.

* * *

"Why the long face?" Pyrrha asked him a week later as he prepared to head to work. She liked to start training early in the morning, which meant that Ren often saw her before he went downstairs to start baking. "Are you sure you're okay about Christmas? I could always ask…" she trailed off when he shook his head.

"Nora came in last week, after you left."

Pyrrha perked up slightly, she knew he'd been trying to muster up the courage to ask her out, but then went somber when she realized it probably wasn't good news. "Oh. Did she turn you down?"

He wished that'd been the case - at least then he would have understood. "No, I didn't ask. She was just having an off day, I guess, and I haven't seen her since."

"She does that sometimes, though, right? Disappears and then comes back?" 

Ren nodded. "I've got to go get ready. Don't worry about me, Pyrrha. You and Jaune have fun next week." 

"Of course." She clasped his shoulder. "If you need anything in the meantime, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks." 

They left the apartment together, going their separate ways shortly after.

Ren went through his morning routine mechanically, preparing to open the shop. He wished he'd had the courage to ask her out before now - or at least exchange phone numbers

But when he went to unlock the door, she was there waiting for him, smile growing even brighter as she saw Ren.

"Hi, Nora," he said cheerfully as he turned on the open sign. "What can I get for you?"

"Do you want to spend Christmas together?" she blurted out without preamble.

Ren blinked at her, trying to parse out what drink she'd ordered. It took him a moment to realize what she'd _actually_ said. 

By that point she'd already started backpedaling. "I mean, only if you want. I don't have anywhere to go or anyone to celebrate with and I just thought it might be nice to spend it with _someone_ and I do really enjoy being around you, but I know I'm just a customer and so if you don't want to that's okay too."

"Nora - I'd love to spend Christmas together," he said, interrupting her ramble. "Not a lot of places will be open, though, do you want to come to my place?" He wondered if maybe he should have suggested trying to find somewhere else to go - not that they had a lot of options for Christmas day.

But she didn't seem to have any qualms about it, all but jumping with enthusiasm at the suggestion. "That sounds wonderful! I'll bring some food, we can watch some terrible movies together and just hang out?"

"That sounds wonderful. I live just upstairs from here - I'm up by 10 a.m. even on my days off, so just come by whenever." He scribbled down his phone number on a napkin for her as well. "Here, in case you need to get in touch with me."

She all but vaulted over the counter to give Ren a hug, laughing as she did. He hesitated only for a moment before returning it, smiling as he did. 

"I'll text you - see you Sunday!" she said before darting back out into the cold.

* * *

Ren debated for two days what to get Nora - or if he should actually get her _anything_. Technically they were just spending time together, but it felt wrong to have her over for Christmas and not get her anything.

He didn't know a lot about her, but he suspected her favorite color was pink (given that 90 percent of the clothes she wore were some bright shade of it) and she volunteered at a local sloth sanctuary in her free time. So, when he saw a bright pink sloth stuffed animal looking at him from a store window, he knew exactly what he wanted to get her.

It was almost a shame to put it in a gift bag - he swore the thing was judging him as he carefully wrapped it in tissue paper and put it under the small tree Pyrrha and Jaune had wanted to erect. He thought about replacing the small star tree topper with it, but in the end decided against it. 

He pulled out some chicken breasts on Christmas even in preparation of her visit. While she had offered to bring a side dish, he was also going to be in charge of dessert, but he didn't start that until the morning of. Cookies were always best fresh out of the oven, after all.

There was frenetic knock on the door just as he slid the first cookie sheet into the oven. "Door's open!" he called, and a hyper Nora let herself into his apartment for the first time. 

She only stopped long enough to kick off her shoes before barreling straight into Ren's back in a bear hug. "Hi!"

Almost as quickly as the hug started, it was over, with Nora flitting about the apartment to put the present she was carrying under the tree and her food offerings down on the counter. "I brought _Die Hard_."

" _Die Hard_?" he asked, trailing after her into the living room. He'd heard of the movie and had even seen it, but he wasn't sure why she'd bring it over for Christmas.

"It's a Christmas movie!" she insisted, waving the DVD case around. 

"If you say so," he said, taking it and getting it started. Nora made herself comfortable on the couch, immediately leaning into Ren when he sat down next to her.

Maybe her impulsiveness was wearing off on him, because he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. 

It wasn't how he'd imagined this Christmas going, but it was perfect.

(And if half an hour later Ren burned a tray of cookies because he and Nora were too busy making out, no one but the two of them would ever know.)

**Author's Note:**

> Nora got Ren a set of cookie cutters - including a sloth and a lotus flower shaped one.
> 
> Find me on [Tumblr](http://www.marykay91.tumblr.com).


End file.
